Thank you for your post about the Manhattan Ave Boat Launch. I actually attempted to make an online 311 complaint about it a day or two before your post. However, the 311 website did not accept the complaint since the launch is not listed. Today I attempted to make the same complaint via phone and was again unsuccessful. I ended up making an “agency complaint”. I’m sure many people give up long before this point. I spent about 15 minutes attempting to make the online complaint and 40 minutes making the agency complaint via phone. My agency complaint number is C1-1-977259887

It lists the following:

Parks Dept does not list the site as a park to enable 311 complaints

Broken waterfront railing

Broken railing surrounding grassy area

Wood chips have not been replaced

Grass dry and unkempt

Boats moored to kayak launch access gate

Dead trees

Trees with broken branches

Excessive weeds

I found the the first bullet point rather fascinating. The following, gentle readers, should clarify why.

Let’s review:

Permits can be/have been issued for the use of this park.

This would suggest that this piece of public space is in the “Parks” system.

However, when a complaint is to be lodged it cannot be located. Fascinating.

I suppose the argument could be made that our local parks conservancy/partnership “arrangement” is more interested in the monetization of our public spaces (via the issuance of permits and hosting events such as the Northside Festival) than enforcement/”upkeep”. I would like to kindly counter that much-needed revenue is being lost by allowing these watercraft to moor for free. I wonder what our City Councilman’s position is on this? Anyone?

In any case I was recently advised to poke around online boating forums regarding free mooring at Newtown Creek. Today I did. It was rather illuminating.

Those of you who, say, struggle to pay rent, property taxes or bemoan the woeful condition of our public spaces— few as they are here— should take a moment, read and re-read the previous. Angry yet?

I have been meaning to touch upon the subject of “ironic” t-shirt wearing for sometime. This is because it is becoming much more commonplace on Manhattan Avenue. First it was a 20-something with a great many facial piercings wearing a shirt which read “I was country when country wasn’t cool.” Fail. Then a fellow who works at a bodega on my block (which does an impressive amount of business selling Baltika malt liquor) wearing a shirt “You are pretty because I am drunk” That one I give two enthusiastic thumbs up. This morning it was a young lady sporting a shirt which read “Titties and Beer”. No just no, but hell no on that one. Then came the piece de resistance: this.

As you can see this fellow is blind. I am not sure how a I “heart” NY shirt came into his possession, but clearly it has. The cup he is using (so as to solicit change) is from the Starbucks across the street. Is this funny? Only in a certain “gallows humor” kind of way. If I had to pick one photo to exemplify the dismal legacy that was our former mayor’s (especially in terms of homelessness) the first one would be it. In any case,we are rapidly approaching the time of year when many of our less fortunate neighbors, having consumed spirits, feel the ill effects of the heat. If you see something along these lines, gentle readers, saysomething to 311. Have a heart…

As many of you have undoubtedly noticed the bloggage has been spare/sporadic of late. There are several reasons for this:

1. I have been out and about enjoying the sights, sounds and of course smells this fine city has to offer— between the rain storms anyway.
2. My little snow globe enterprise has taken off. Not only have I sold four of them, but making them is so darned fun— which brings me to why I am writing this post. I have recently completed a real doozy. Without further ado, here it is!

I do not think an explanation is necessary. Anyone who rides the Crosstown Local— especially during rush hour— can attest that this representation is not terribly far off the mark. Well I suppose the goats, pigs and geese were a flight of fancy by yours truly— but I think we can all agree their presence enhances the final product considerably. Same goes for the 12-15 loose souls who float around this snow globe. I have no idea how many “little people” inhabit this dystopia. This is rather apropos as the MTA does not seem to know that the G has a serious ridership issue. One which, if not addressed soon and in a realistic fashion, will only get worse once the waterfront is developed. Of course to simply place all the blame on the MTA is to let our elected officials/”public servants” off the hook. They too have their share of responsibility to shoulder. Let us not forget this.

Moving forward I believe a “G Train Sprint” snow globe is in order. I envision horde of patrons running for that last car. Will they make it? Methinks we all know the answer to that question. Naturally I will share its progress here and on flickr. In closing I would like to give a big ol’ shout out to fellow Greenpointer and all around cool lass Jilly Ballistic for the title (because she was the one who coined it!). Thanks!

P.S.: This one goes out to Community Board Chairman Christopher Olechowski who, upon exiting the Swinging Sixties Seniors Center as ex-Chairman Tuesday night, had this to say:

If you don’t like the development you can just move out of the neighborhood.

Right back at ya, bro. It is just this kind of “I have gotten mine so the rest of you can go fuck yourself” thinking that has made north Brooklyn what it is today. Good riddance.